IDF chief rabbi-designate admits fault in statement to Supreme Court

DEBKAfile was founded by a team of journalists in June 2000 as an independent Internet Web site, providing an intelligence and security news service. November 23, 2016, 8:47 PM (IDT)

IDF chief rabbi-designate Eyal Karim submitted a statement to Israel's Supreme Court on Wednesday regarding an appeal against his appointment, admitting that he had often failed to express himself properly and as a result there were those who were hurt by his statements. Regarding an accusation that he had said it was permissable to rape women in time of war, Karim asserted that he had never spoken, wrote or thought in such a way, and that such an opinion was not part of his worldview. Karim's statement came after the court issued an order on Monday to delay the appointment in light of the statements attributed to him. Chief Justice Miriam Naor said during the proceedings that the court wanted to hear what the rabbi's stance was in the past, what his stance is today, and whether he makes a retraction. In light of Karim's statement, the prosecution repeated its demand for rejection of the appeal.

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